IOC to Support Single Korean Team

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) expressed full support for the organization of a single Korean team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

IOC President Jacques Rogge hosted the president of the Korean Olympic Committee, Lee Yun-taek, and the president of the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea, Mun Jae-dok, for a three-way meeting and breakfast on August 13 in which they talked about concluding the consultation over forming a single Korea team before the beginning of the preliminaries for the Beijing Olympics.

President Rogge said at the meeting, "As the organization of a single team will take considerable time, both Koreas will have to begin the consultation with enough time at hand," and added, "IOC will provide all necessary assistance and support in the process."

This is the first time that IOC has explicitly expressed its support for the organization of a single Korean team since the idea came up at the general meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees that was held back in February.

President Lee of KOC said, "The big picture about forming this single Korean team will have to be sketched out early in 2006 before the preliminaries for the Beijing Olympics start."

Hwan Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com